Monday, February 4, 2013

Valentine's Fit for a Queen

Your given name in early childhood defines the spaces you inhabit and the way others interact with you.You examine it as though it were sitting in a room across from you, it's characteristics ones you are expected to have; your life's first goal.

You know that your name is owned by other people as well, a collected responsibility inhabiting the name chosen for you. When your name also belongs to a Queen, your own head can become too big for any crown to fit. This was the case for me one particular Valentine's Day.

Chosen by my Third Grade Teacher to play the part of an English nursemaid in our class play, I wore my First Communion dress and white shoes from the year before. I mimicked the voices of the two elderly sisters who lived in Apartment 4B two floors above my own. My teacher called me aside to tell me I was brilliant in the part and had made the play a success.

I decided then and there it must be a natural thing for all girls named Elizabeth to have an English accent. I continued to talk with one for months to come. I thought it was the way I was meant to sound.

I still had my accent as Valentine's Day approached it's space on the calendar. My mother said we would be making them ourselves. She spread before me on our dining room table sheets of colored stickers, each a different shape. I couldn't imagine how on earth we could transform circles and ovals and triangles and squares into Valentines anyone would want.

By the end of our evening, as if by magic, my mother showed me how the
shapes could be used to create the faces of all the different types of
children from all over the world. She gently talked about the unique
characteristics of each country, even my own.

My teacher called me again to her desk on Valentine's Day to tell me how very special my Valentine children were and how happy she was I had decided to be American again. She didn't make me feel silly at all.

My Around the World Ornaments are exactly like the ones my mother helped me to make from sheets of stickers that were only circles, ovals, triangles, and squares.

Please do not Pin pattern on Pinterest

Posted by
Elizabeth Andrus

23 comments:

What a great post! I love it that you talked with an English accent! :) Your teacher was a wise one to handle rightly you're becoming American again. Now your little felties are just so sweet! You're very inspiring.Love that cute little shelf with all your little cuties on it.be a sweetie,Shelia ;)

Who doesn't wish to have an English accent...especially after getting swept away with royal weddings and Downton Abbey. So sweet, Elizabeth. Love your felt creations. Your garland is just delightful. Just like your stories.

thats a cute story. I always thought I should speak in chinese.. as my full name was vivian lynn long. it sounded chinese to me.lol! I think it might be easier to pull off an english accent then a chinese one! have a great night my friend!xoxo

I just love each sweet story you tell. I can just see a sweet little girl in a pretty white dress and crown, doing her part for the Crown! How fun! Sometimes, I teach math as the Queen of England. I tell my kids, "You should have very good manners, too - you never know when you will be invited to have dinner with the Queen!"

It is so much fun to talk with a British accent! Daughter1 loves to talk like that, she loves anything British and D2 calls it her fancy voice ;) It is so wonderful that your mother passed her creativity down to you and we are so blessed that you share that creativity with us. Thank you! I love the ornaments! God save the Queen! Have a wonderful night, Holly

Hi Elizabeth,Your stories are wonderful. What an amazing and interesting life that you have had. Have you ever thought of using the stories of your childhood spent in other countries and around people from all over the world to do a series of children's books? I think that the stories along with the wonderful characters you create would make a wonderful series of books for children. I just love reading the stories you share along with the amazing items that you create. I hope you have a wonderful week.Hugs,Lynn and the wienee ranch.